1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to curable compositions, especially heat-curable compositions and the methods of making and using same. More specifically, the present invention relates to amide-containing polyhydroxyethyl carbamates which can be used as curing agents for active hydrogen-containing materials or as curable film-formers.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Curable compositions containing blocked isocyanates are known in the art. In the main, blocked isocyanates are prepared by reacting isocyanates with blocking agents. This method of preparation has found a wide use despite a number of shortcomings. Principally, the isocyanates are toxic and, therefore, present health hazards. Also, the isocyanates are highly reactive and, therefore, present handling problems. Some of the isocyanates are rather expensive and/or difficult to find. As would be seen, the above shortcomings present limitations on the use of blocked isocyanates as curing agents.
The present invention, without using the isocyanates, provides an alternate method of preparing materials which can be used in the manner of blocked isocyanates particularly in curable coating compositions.